How much does a filter operator make?
a year · about $25 an hour
A typical filter operator in the United States makes $51,610 a year, about $25 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They load materials, adjust valves and controls, and watch gauges for flow, temperature, and pressure. They test product samples, record results, and inspect or clean the machines.
Did you know? Surprisingly, U.S. filter operators can include brewers, winemakers, and dairy-processing machine operators—not just people filtering water.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $36,200 and $79,750How do you become one?
Most U.S. filter operators finish high school or earn a GED, then learn on the job; registered apprenticeships are another route. No single starting age or exam is listed for this broad job group, so check each employer's rules.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., more experience and skill with harder machines or careful quality checks can lead to better pay. Pay also differs by industry and location, since beverage, dairy, chemical, and other employers operate in different places and pay differently.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New Hampshire ($60,340), lowest in Arkansas ($41,720).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $36,200 | $51,610 | $79,750 | about 60,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $60,340 | about 590 |
| Wisconsin | $60,100 | about 2,000 |
| Virginia | $59,480 | about 2,000 |
| Kentucky | $58,770 | about 2,000 |
| Louisiana | $58,640 | about 770 |
Official definition: Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators. Excludes “Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders” (51-9011).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/51-9012.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes519012.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/51-9012.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY